I got my flu shot today

[golfgal]

It seems as though the information the Mayo Clinic is putting out is different then the info the CDC is putting out....who to believe?

Exactly=thanks for the PM telling me I am wrong but my PERSONAL experience in our area is that it is better to wait. I was just at our local pharmacy yesterday and they do not have flu vaccines available for the general public yet.

 

[Monte Cristo]

Exactly=thanks for the PM telling me I am wrong but my PERSONAL experience in our area is that it is better to wait. I was just at our local pharmacy yesterday and they do not have flu vaccines available for the general public yet.

Happy to be of assistance.

 

[Mary•Poppins]

Just wanted to say .... Happy Birthday! Hope the flu shot is the only "down-side" to your day!

 

[faith]

Last week people were getting flu shots at Sam's Club, and also our local pharmacy. I thought it seemed too early. Guess I need to give family dr. office a call for advice. Thanks for the information.

 

[trip]

I'm going to check with my doctor but, I'm trying to decide if I should get one this year. I am usually healthy- maybe one cold a year. Have never really fit into one of the high risk groups. Well, last year due to my age (61) and N1H1 I decided to get one. Then for the next two days my eyes were red and burning and also had a headache.

I can handle the side affects but don't know if they will be worse if I get the shot again.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

I know it is the same vaccine but there have been many years where people in our area get the vaccine in Sept to end up with the flu in March. The vaccines usually aren't available here until Oct anyway. We wait as long as we can and we don't usually see cases of the flu here until after the first of the year-there is usually one here or there but no real outbreaks until then.

Just so everyone knows, there are other strains of the flu out there besides the ones in the shot. The shot will only protect you from the three it has in it. If you come in contact with a different strain, you are going to the get the flu.

Dawn can tell you. There was one year where they missed the mark completely. The flu virus can drift away just enough to be considered different to your immune system.

You should still get the shot, because you are then at least protected against the three strains in there.

 

[Lanshark]

I got mine last week and for the first time ever had a slight side effect. I did get the pneumonia shot too so it could have been that one.

Happy Birthday

 

[cruisnfamily]

Last year we all got flu shots and h1n1 shots. Nobody got sick.

I believe DD17 has just had the flu! Nobody in my house has ever been as sick as she has been for the last week and she's not better yet. Headache, body aches, fever for 5 days straight. Fever over 103 even while on motrin and tylenol. After the 3rd day she started throwing up, that lasted 2 days. Now the fever and nausea has been gone for 2 days but still headache, body aches. Hasn't eaten more than a bite or 2 since last Monday. If this is the flu, believe me we don't want it! She tested negative for type a and b influenza last week but our pediatrician said that the kits were from last year and that the rapid test was known to be inaccurate. So we don't actually know what she had but it sure sounded like flu to the Dr.

Pediatrician did say that they had not seen any cases at all yet and it was too early in the year but DD sure seemed to have it.

In any event, we'll all be getting the shot!

 

[golfgal]

Just so everyone knows, there are other strains of the flu out there besides the ones in the shot. The shot will only protect you from the three it has in it. If you come in contact with a different strain, you are going to the get the flu.

Dawn can tell you. There was one year where they missed the mark completely. The flu virus can drift away just enough to be considered different to your immune system.

You should still get the shot, because you are then at least protected against the three strains in there.

I realize that but in the cases I have seen that wasn't the problem.

Last year we all got flu shots and h1n1 shots. Nobody got sick.

I believe DD17 has just had the flu! Nobody in my house has ever been as sick as she has been for the last week and she's not better yet. Headache, body aches, fever for 5 days straight. Fever over 103 even while on motrin and tylenol. After the 3rd day she started throwing up, that lasted 2 days. Now the fever and nausea has been gone for 2 days but still headache, body aches. Hasn't eaten more than a bite or 2 since last Monday. If this is the flu, believe me we don't want it! She tested negative for type a and b influenza last week but our pediatrician said that the kits were from last year and that the rapid test was known to be inaccurate. So we don't actually know what she had but it sure sounded like flu to the Dr.

Pediatrician did say that they had not seen any cases at all yet and it was too early in the year but DD sure seemed to have it.

In any event, we'll all be getting the shot!

Sure sounds like influenza. It is HORRIBLE. I hope she feels better soon.

 

[zalansky]

I made my kids appt to get theirs tomorrow and I am going to Walgreens to get mine this week. Better safe than sorry.

 

[nmmom95]

Happy Birthday, OP!

I got my shot today, too. I have kidney disease, so I get it early every year. Of course last year I got the regular flu shot and came down with H1N1, so I can't wait to see what this year brings!

 

[JessicaR]

Happy Birthday to you! Sounds like a wonderfil gift.

 

[disney1990]

well everyone today is my birthday and the gift i gave myself was a flu shot not the most lavish gift in the world , but if it keeps me well over the flu season and for my feb trip to disney i'm all for it. and for all of you reading this don't forget yours. one last note to mention the swine fluvacine and the regular flu vacine are all in one this year , so here's to all our health.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Great presents to give yourself.

We will be getting ours shortly.

 

[klj27]

I asked my 11 years olds asthma/allergy doctor on August 27 if it was too early to get the shot and she said no way! She recommended he get it as soon as he could. I took him to walgreens yesterday to get the shot. The rest of us will be getting ours within the next week or two.

 

[DMRick]

Too early here too, according to our doc. We'll be getting ours mid October this year, although I thought I got it mid September last year.

It's too early to get them in our neck of the woods-we wait until late Oct or early Nov to get ours. I had influenza once and that was one time too many DS15 had H1N1 last year and no longer complains about getting a flu shot.

 

[cruisnfamily]

I realize that but in the cases I have seen that wasn't the problem.



Sure sounds like influenza. It is HORRIBLE. I hope she feels better soon.

I agree! It is HORRIBLE. I think she's on the mend now but still not well. She was just crazy sick, couldn't even get off the couch for 2 days and still doesn't want to sit up for more than an hour or so!

 

[golfgal]

I agree! It is HORRIBLE. I think she's on the mend now but still not well. She was just crazy sick, couldn't even get off the couch for 2 days and still doesn't want to sit up for more than an hour or so!

My body hurt so bad my HAIR hurt. I remember crawling to the bathroom because I couldn't walk and having to rest half way, one room away.

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

I agree the flu isn't easy to deal with; I never got the shots before until I was sick with something else & wasn't in the recommended age group for flu shots. Dr said I should get one every year & I've stuck with that.

Happy birthday, OP; thanks for the reminder. As for me, though, I'll wait until early October same as golfgal will. Flu season in WI lasts thru March, too, so even though local Walgreens drug stores are giving shots already I'm gonna wait.

When you think about it, Sept is half over already so not long until October's here. Yikes!! Where does the time go anyway???

 

[DMRick]

Well, so much for the doc telling me it was too soon last week LOL! They called today and made our appointments for the 20th of Sept. I mentioned they told me it was too soon last week, and she said it was, but we are starting the 20th. So, I'm guessing they just didn't have the serum in when I called and didn't want me to go elsewhere.

 

[tlbwriter]

My body hurt so bad my HAIR hurt. I remember crawling to the bathroom because I couldn't walk and having to rest half way, one room away.

I heard a speech by a doctor who said she always hears people say "I had the flu, I was in bed for two days, it was horrible." And she said "People, that is NOT THE FLU. If you're in bed for less than a week, you did not have the flu! And if you ever did have the flu, you'd be the first in line for the flu shot every year after that!" I think you are a good example of what the flu really feels like.

Also, as someone said earlier, there is no such thing as "intestinal flu." That's an intestinal bug, but it's not influenza.